The present invention relates generally to a fiber optic connector and, more particularly, to a fiber optic contact retention assembly for such a connector.
In a typical fiber optic connector member or connector half, fiber optic contacts or ferrules are mounted in the front of an elongated yoke in the connector shell. A fiber optic cable is connected to the rear of the connector member, with the fibers therein extending through the yoke for connection to the contacts mounted on the front of the yoke. Typically springs are provided which bias the contacts in the forward direction. The forward ends of the contacts are slidably mounted in alignment passages formed in a contact guide or support member mounted in front of the yoke. When the connector member is engaged with a second connector member, the mating contacts in the two connector members will be urged rearwardly against the force of the springs whereby the forward faces of the mating contacts are assured of being maintained in firm abutting relationship. Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,742 to Corrales which discloses a fiber optic connector of this general type.
In another fiber optic connector member the yoke is in the form of a relatively flat disc having radial slots therein which open at the outer periphery of the disc. The contacts have annular grooves therein. The contacts are pushed radially into the slots with the grooves aligned with the yoke so that the front and rear shoulders formed by the grooves in the contacts lie adjacent to the front and rear surfaces of the yoke.
In both assemblies of the type discussed above, the contact is relatively loosely mounted in its supporting yoke. As a consequence, when the yoke with the contacts thereon are assembled to the forward contact guide member, the contacts may jam within the guide passages making assembly of the parts quite difficult, particularly if there are a relatively large number of contacts in the connector.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a fiber optic contact retention assembly in which the contacts are maintained accurately spaced and vertically positioned with respect to the front face of the yoke so that the contacts may be readily inserted into the guide passages within the forward contact support member, yet does not require additional mounting parts which would add to the complexity of design and expense in the manufacture and assembly of the contact retention assembly.